Offset faces potential default judgment over $100,000 casino debt

A Michigan judge has ordered MotorCity Casino Hotel to proceed with default proceedings against the rapper Offset, whose legal name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus. The order follows the expiration of a deadline for Cephus to file an answer to a lawsuit filed in March 2026.

The lawsuit alleges that Cephus failed to repay a $100,000 gambling credit line opened in 2024. MotorCity Casino Hotel claims that a casino marker signed by the rapper was tied to his checking account, but the subsequent attempt to withdraw funds failed due to insufficient funds. The casino asserts that this constitutes a violation of contract and Michigan’s bad check statute, which could allow the plaintiff to seek double the unpaid amount plus legal fees.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Qiana Denise Lillard directed that a motion seeking entry of a default judgment be filed and heard no later than October 23, 2026. While a default does not mean the casino has already won the judgment, it allows the case to move forward without the defendant formally contesting the allegations. Cephus may still potentially lift the default if he can provide a credible legal defense or demonstrate a valid reason for missing the filing deadline.